Epigenetic regulation of pluripotency

Abstract

Epigenetic regulation refers to the mechanisms that alter gene expression patterns in the absence of changes in the nucleotide sequence of the DNA molecule. The best understood epigenetic marks include posttranslational modifications of the histone tails and DNA methylation. Both play central roles in normal development and in diseases. Pluripotent stem cells have great promise for regenerative medicine and recent efforts have focused on identifying molecular networks that govern pluripotency. This chapter provides an overview of epigenetic regulation in embryonic stem cells. We present a brief introduction into epigenetic mechanisms and focus on their role in pluripotent cells.